Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Energy efficiency and energy conservation are often used interchangeably but there are still differences between them. Today we're going to help you understand those differences!

At the most basic understanding, energy conservation is more of a behavior change of using less energy, such as turning off the lights or lowering your thermostat.
Energy efficiency means using energy more effectively, it's more of a technical change.

An example of this...to conserve energy you could turn down the thermostat several degrees. You might be a bit colder though. To be more energy efficient you can install a more energy efficient heater and get better insulation. You'll be able to use the same amount of energy and still be able to turn your heater up more. If you plan on buying more energy efficient products, always look for the energy star!

It's important to have a mix of energy efficiency and energy conservation. If you want to learn more about our energy efficient products and work you can check out the rest of our blog or our facebook page by following this link! Click here!

Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Top 10 lists are always one of my favorite things to read. They are informative while still being short and sweet. Today I'll share my own top 10 list of home efficiency tips. Here we go! 1. Seal it up! If cold air is allowed to seep in to your home it will raise your heating bill much higher than you'd like. 2. Insulate your upstairs. Insulating upstairs will make sure to make your home better year round. “It turns out that about half of the homes in the United States are underinsulated,” says Kateri Callahan, president of the Alliance to Save Energy.3. Insulate the windows and doors. About 1/3 of the home's total heat cost is through the windows and doors. You can seal the windows and cracks with rope caulk or can be weatherstripped. Installing storm windows is also a great option. 4. Seal the ducts. Duct sealant can be used to help repair any leaks the ducts may have. 5. Buy a programmable thermostat. It might not seem like it will help much but they've been proven to save about 10 percent on heating and cooling bills. 6. Energy efficient doors and windows. You can actually install energy efficient doors and windows that will help keep air from leaking through.7. Make sure you have the right equipment. Replacing an outdated HVAC system with an energy efficient one can lower your monthly energy bills. 8. High-efficiency water heaters. Water heating makes up anywhere from 15-25 percent of the annual energy usage in the home. Getting a high-efficient water heater will help drive down the cost of your bills. 9. Understand how your home uses energy. It's important to understand how your home uses energy. 46% goes to heating and cooling at 12% goes to lighting. 10. Lights. Don't leave the lights on when you leave a room. It's simple and effective. Is there anything I missed? What would you add to the list?